The 'Renaissance' Sultan; Qaboos bin Sa'id Al Said (1940 - 2020)
Sultan Qaboos, who died on January 10 aged 79, was months shy of his Golden Jubilee, nearly reaching 50 years as Sovereign of Oman. He took power from his father by a bloodless coup in 1970, and through his absolute rule, gradually transformed the last Ibadi Sultanate from an underdeveloped backwater to the "Switzerland of Middle East", a modern nation, of rich oil resurses & an important straregic role thanks to its neutral position in a warfare-fueled region. Revered as father-figure by a majority of Omani population, His Majesty held all government's toppositions, and was the only monarch wearing a turban; an authentic, colourful, Arab Sultan.
Say'yid Qaboos bin Sa'id bin Taimur Al-Sa'id was born on 18 November 1940 in the Southern Omani city of Salalah. He was the only son of then Sultan of Muscat & Oman Said III bin Teimur & his second wife Sheikha Mazoon bint Ahmad Ali Al-Mashani (1925-1992). The 15th generation descendant of the House of Sa'id (ruling the coastal Arab peninsula' Sultanate since 1744) grew up under the supervision of his despotic father under whose rule the country had only ties with Britain.
After completing private education by 18, young Qaboos was sent to the UK, where he studied in Suffolk & was trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, & later served at a British Army in Germany. His schooling in England also purposed to strengthern the ties between British & Omani Royal families. Upon returning to Oman in 1966, Qaboos was kept at a palace under virtual house arrest by his father, who was fearful of being deposed by his son. At the time, Muscat & Oman relied on its ruler's bond with the UK, being completely isolated from the rest of civilized world. Bonded by its unique traditions, the Sultanate lacked of infrastructure, had less than five schools & hospitals, with slavery still in use & the Sovereign's permission needed to use a car, listen to music or wear sunglasses!
Sultan Sa'id III bin Teimur (r. 1932 - 1970)
Newly ascended Sultan Qaboos (centre) in late July 1970
Said bin Taimur's fears were not baseless. Along with his son he allowed two British officers in the same palace. One of them assisted Qaboos bin Said in planning an uprising, supported by the country's sole Petroleum development council. The moment came soon after oil prices were rised on Thursday July 23, 1970. The young heir to the throne led a bloodless coup against his father easily, supported by the latter's only powerful force, the British military. He was immediately installed the new Sultan, while Said III, who managed to shoot himself on foot from anger, was exiled to the UK, where he died two years later. Qaboos bin Said Al-Said immediately promised a new chapter in the country's history, described monolectically as "the Renaissance" (each year celebrated on July 23).
Immediately after taking over, Sultan Qaboos bin Said began transforming the Sultanate into a modern country. He renamed it from Muscat & Oman to single Oman, making the former (Muscat) its capital city. At the same time he abolished slavery & began opening up to the rest of the world. With the help of fellow King Hussein of Jordan & Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi of Iran, Qaboos used power to quell communist uprising in Dhofar region, already in turbulence from the late 1960s. He though promised reforms for better quality of life to soften the people's agitation, expressed by these uprisings.
Such reforms were pushed forward thanks to proper use of just discovered oil resourses. Trusted acquaintances of the Sultan were put on the top of the country's main private companies, guaranteeing a swift economic growth. His Majesty, who as an absolute monarch took government, state economy, army & foreign affairs under his own helm, oversaw a deep stretch to the development of state services, & renewing infrastructure: during the first decade of his reign new roads were asphalted, schools, hospitals & more public centres built, free education for all guaranteed & life expendance rising from ~45 to more than 70 years of age.
Sultan Qaboos receives Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, 2018
In the meantime, major global changes were happening & the region was noticeably affected by severe turbulence. Qaboos bin Said, who had from early on predicted the vital importance of Oman to have good relations with western allies (including the US) & the same time retain neibhoring bonds in the Arab world, led the nation into unusual neutrality & established a non-interferingpolicy, called "friends to all, enemies to none". This policy both provided the Sultanate a long period of peace & prosperity and safeguarded important strategic relations with different signed global powers; with the southeastern arab peninsular Sultanate, content of Hormuz strait, often acting as a mediator between "natural enemies". Brokening the US-Iranian nuclear deal in 2015 was such a case. Sultan Qaboos in addition deared very much to multinational leagues & international organisations; Oman became the first Gulf nation to join the UN, & its founding father was a founding member of GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council).
Sultan Qaboos (left) with KSA' King Abdullah & other GCCVIP' members
Arab Spring-related protests; early March 2011
The Sultan's absolute rule was met with aspires of a progressive approach of several social issues. In a carefulbalancing act, like the one he played on diplomatic level, His Majesty mastered a hybrid system of bicameral parliament, a part of which is elected under his supervision, and pioneeringly provided equal opportunities to women to be appointed on top executive offices (although such appointments were carried out by him). His authoritarian rule was softened, in comparison to other Middle Eastern monarchies, due to prosperity the nation enjoyed & less severe retaliation to the oppositionals. There were, however, periods of unrest, when in 2011, protests took place against corrupted officials & minimal wages. They were inspired by the Arab Spring wave, though unlike elsewhere people didn't openly protest against Qaboos, whose nation building legacy is customary overweighting.
Qaboos bin Said Al-Said in a full-of-decorations uniform
Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat, Oman
Apart from being recognised about leading his nation toward a new path in the world, Sultan Qaboos became also popular for his efforts to connect Oman's deep-rooted culture with western customs, in a common mosaic, such large as the largest carpet in the world, on which He first prayed at the inauguration of his namesake, Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, on May 4, 2001. This masterpiece of the Islamic Architecture, is the metropolis of Prophet Muhammad' religion's oldest, Ibadi branch (to which Oman's Al Bushaidi dynasty is adherent). Nonthenless the Sultanate of Oman became the first Arab country to have its Opera! Qaboos - who was a passionate in classical music & himself played pipe organ and the lute - ordered the launching of the Royal Opera House in (capital) Muscat, which was completed in 2011 - though not without protest by the most conservative branches of religious people (whatsoever less influensive than him).
Among the charities he chaired, is the Sultan Qaboos Prize for Environmental Preservation, donated by UNESCO.
The Sultan, with authentic multi-layered turbans, resembling to the historic Arab Sultans of whom no one else remains, was less "colourful" in his personal life. Qaboos bin Said had married to his first cousin Say'yida Nawwal bint Tariq Al-Said, commonly known as Kamila, on 22 March 1976. This marriage however, didn't produce any children & the Sultan divorsed his royal consort (who has since remarried) in 1979. He remained unmarried for the rest of his life, and the public was not prohibited to openly discuss about his successor, which was made a taboo, as some dreamed for Qaboos "to live forever". Eventually in the constitution-alike basic stature of State he drafted in the 1990s, succession process relied upon the Royal family Council, which had three days to choose the next monarch once the throne falls vacant; should they fail or disagree, the Defence Council would be called upon the mandatory to announce Sultan Qaboos' preferable choice, which was secretly recorded to two stamped enveloped testament documents, to be opened after His Majesty's death. Eventually, the royal family preferred to open them immediately with successor-designate, Haitham bin Tariq, being Kamila's brother.
UK Regnal Couple's official visit to Oman in 2010
Sultan Qaboos bin Said celebrated the milestones of his reign with nationwide parades on Oman's national day, which falls on his birthday (each November 18). He presided over the parading stadium, usually dressed into military uniforms. His Ruby Jubilee / 40 years of reign was particularly marked with Britain's Queen Elizabeth II & Prince Philip visiting Oman and participating into celebrations. Nobody knows how much more may have been expected should have he lived to his Golden anniversary & 80th birthday, later into this year. Since as early as 2014, His Majesty reduced his public appearances & began receiving intense treatments first in Germany, very later in Belgium, reportedly for colon cancer. Qaboos' condition was never disclosed, though his terminal illness along preparations for "a baroque succession" were leak to some foreign media, when he return to his homeland for the last time, past December. At the time of his death on January 10, 2020, His late Majesty was the world's third longest-reigning Sovereign monarch, behind Queen Elizabeth II & Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei. He had also become the longest-serving state leader in the Arab world.
Sultan Qaboos' flag-drapped coffin carried for funeral prayers
Scores visiting Al-Alam palace to offer condolences for Qaboos
HMSay'yidQaboos bin Sa'id Al Said (18.11.1940 - 10.01.2020); Sultan of Oman (23.07.1970-10.01.2020).
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